Wilmington police ask for public's help in unsolved murders

Published: Friday, July 26, 2013 at 12:31 p.m.

Last Modified: Friday, July 26, 2013 at 5:44 p.m.

With slow tears rolling down her cheeks, Courtney Jackson comforted her grandfather Friday at a Wilmington Police Department press conference on unsolved murders. Seven years ago when Courtney was just 12, her mother Allison Jackson-Foy, 34, went missing. Almost two years later, Foy's remains were found in woods off Carolina Beach Road near the remains of another missing woman, Angela Nobles Rothen, 42.

Facts

Unsolved murders

Allison Jackson-Foy, 34: Reported missing July 29, 2006. She was last seen at Junction Pub & Billiards, 5216 Carolina Beach Road. Her remains were found April 26, 2008, in a wooded area near the 3500 block of Carolina Beach Road. Angela Nobles Rothen, 42: Last seen July 5, 2007, on Westgate Road a few doors away from her residence. Rothen's remains were found on the same day and in the same wooded area where Foy's remains were found. Priscilla Ann Rogers, 41: Last seen June 2, 2009. Her body was found Dec. 30, 2009, in a wooded area in the 5200 block of River Road. Carol Ann Johnson, 59: Murdered in her home at 338 Pine Valley Drive on July 4, 2011.Anyone with information on these homicides and others may call the Wilmington Police Department's Detective Division at (910) 343-3620 or use the Text-A-Tip line by sending "Tip708" and the information to 274637 (CRIMES).

On the WebFor more information about the investigation into the murders of Allison Jackson-Foy and Angela Nobles Rothen, visit http://www.StarNewsOnline.com/bones

Now 19 and attending college in Georgia, Courtney comforted her grandfather John Mazalewski, who had in the midst of his own unbearable grief at the loss of his child, once comforted her.

"On July 30, 2006, in the wee hours of the morning my sister Allison Jackson-Foy became a statistic in a world of 850,000 missing persons. Almost two years later on April 26 2008, she became an unsolved homicide statistic," said Foy's sister Lisa Valentino. "Here we stand, seven years later, still yearning for resolution."

Foy's unsolved murder case was among four profiled by the WPD on Friday in an effort to garner new leads in the cold cases.

"That's an 84.3 percent clearance rate and well above the national average. But we can't stop there – we must work hard to bring all of these cases to a close," Evangelous said. "Just one tip or a shred of information could be the missing link in helping us to solve these crimes."

The families of three of the five victims profiled Friday were on hand. Evangelous said his department plans to hold more press conferences until all unsolved WPD murders since 2004 are profiled.

Beverly Rivers knows of Valentino's plight. Her sister Priscilla Rogers was found murdered Dec. 30, 2009, off of River Road and her killer also has never been found.

"Our family misses her deeply," Rivers said. "Not a week goes by that somebody in Wilmington doesn't ask me about my sister... If someone out there knows something, come to the police department. Don't come to me and my family and tell us … come to the police department."

Rivers said in the four years since Rogers went missing, rumors swirled about her whereabouts or the circumstances surrounding her death. Everyone comes to tell Rogers' family some detail they hadn't heard before, but no one will follow through and tell the police.

Rivers said among the whirlwind of emotions she feels, she often finds herself becoming angry at the lack of inaction among the community.

"People come to the family all the time. We were born and raised here and we know a lot of people in this area. They come and tell us stuff all the time and we try to encourage them to go to the police," she said. "They say they will, then they never do."

Rob Johnson had the sad designation Friday of being the most recent survivor of an unsolved murder victim.

On July 4, 2011, his sister Carol Ann Johnson, 59, was found by her boyfriend dead of multiple stab wounds in her Pine Valley Drive home. The boyfriend told police he last saw her at 9 the previous evening. No arrest was made in her case.

Two months after Carol Johnson was killed, her baby brother suffered a second loss. His only other sibling, Mark Johnson, succumbed to cancer. In the months before her murder, Mark Johnson's diagnoses had brought the Johnson children closer. Her death then only made the brothers tighter, Rob said. Now Rob is alone in the battle to keep Carol's case in the public eye.

"She was unbelievably caring and passionate. Every ounce of her was thinking of other people," he said. "While I know justice will be served at some point, it needs to be done here on earth."

Evangelous urged the public to examine the cases and come forward with even the smallest tip.

"In every one of these cases somebody knows something out there. We need that information... Step up. We need your help," Evangelous said. "Do the human thing. Do the right thing."

<p>With slow tears rolling down her cheeks, Courtney Jackson comforted her grandfather Friday at a Wilmington Police Department press conference on unsolved murders. Seven years ago when Courtney was just 12, her mother <a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/topic67"><b>Allison Jackson-Foy</b></a>, 34, went missing. Almost two years later, Foy's remains were found in woods off Carolina Beach Road near the remains of another missing woman, <a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/topic67"><b>Angela Nobles Rothen</b></a>, 42. </p><p>Now 19 and attending college in Georgia, Courtney comforted her grandfather John Mazalewski, who had in the midst of his own unbearable grief at the loss of his child, once comforted her. </p><p>"On July 30, 2006, in the wee hours of the morning my sister Allison Jackson-Foy became a statistic in a world of 850,000 missing persons. Almost two years later on April 26 2008, she became an unsolved homicide statistic," said Foy's sister Lisa Valentino. "Here we stand, seven years later, still yearning for resolution." </p><p>Foy's unsolved murder case was among four profiled by the WPD on Friday in an effort to garner new leads in the cold cases. </p><p>Since 2004, Wilmington detectives have solved 70 of the 83 murders they've investigated, said Chief <a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/topic9935"><b>Ralph Evangelous</b></a>.</p><p>"That's an 84.3 percent clearance rate and well above the national average. But we can't stop there – we must work hard to bring all of these cases to a close," Evangelous said. "Just one tip or a shred of information could be the missing link in helping us to solve these crimes."</p><p>The families of three of the five victims profiled Friday were on hand. Evangelous said his department plans to hold more press conferences until all unsolved WPD murders since 2004 are profiled. </p><p>Beverly Rivers knows of Valentino's plight. Her sister Priscilla Rogers was found murdered Dec. 30, 2009, off of River Road and her killer also has never been found. </p><p>"Our family misses her deeply," Rivers said. "Not a week goes by that somebody in Wilmington doesn't ask me about my sister... If someone out there knows something, come to the police department. Don't come to me and my family and tell us … come to the police department."</p><p>Rivers said in the four years since Rogers went missing, rumors swirled about her whereabouts or the circumstances surrounding her death. Everyone comes to tell Rogers' family some detail they hadn't heard before, but no one will follow through and tell the police. </p><p>Rivers said among the whirlwind of emotions she feels, she often finds herself becoming angry at the lack of inaction among the community. </p><p>"People come to the family all the time. We were born and raised here and we know a lot of people in this area. They come and tell us stuff all the time and we try to encourage them to go to the police," she said. "They say they will, then they never do."</p><p>Rob Johnson had the sad designation Friday of being the most recent survivor of an unsolved murder victim. </p><p>On July 4, 2011, his sister Carol Ann Johnson, 59, was found by her boyfriend dead of multiple stab wounds in her Pine Valley Drive home. The boyfriend told police he last saw her at 9 the previous evening. No arrest was made in her case. </p><p>Two months after Carol Johnson was killed, her baby brother suffered a second loss. His only other sibling, Mark Johnson, succumbed to cancer. In the months before her murder, Mark Johnson's diagnoses had brought the Johnson children closer. Her death then only made the brothers tighter, Rob said. Now Rob is alone in the battle to keep Carol's case in the public eye.</p><p>"She was unbelievably caring and passionate. Every ounce of her was thinking of other people," he said. "While I know justice will be served at some point, it needs to be done here on earth."</p><p>Evangelous urged the public to examine the cases and come forward with even the smallest tip. </p><p>"In every one of these cases somebody knows something out there. We need that information... Step up. We need your help," Evangelous said. "Do the human thing. Do the right thing."</p><p><i></p><p>F.T. Norton: 343-2070</p><p>On <a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/news41"><b>Twitter</b></a>: @FTNorton</i></p>